Top 3 Ways to Boost Vitamin C Levels

by Dr. Nick Zyrowski October 10, 2022

We are heading into the cooler months and with this season come various illnesses, too. It’s called the cold and flu season because more people seem to get sick during the cooler months of the year. Many people suffer from respiratory viruses in the fall and winter, and they often pass these germs to unsuspecting friends and family members.

If you’ve ever had the flu or any respiratory illness, you know that you can feel pretty terrible. You may be exhausted, have a fever, have body aches, and feel like your throat is on fire. Many people also have headaches and congestion. (1)

One of the things you hear about is getting your vitamin C during these times. You want to boost your vitamin C levels to prepare your body to fight off these nasty bugs. So, how can you get your vitamin C levels where they should be this season? Let’s look at some of the easy ways you can do it and why it’s so crucial for your health.

Vitamin C for your health

If you’ve wondered why vitamin C gets suggested so often when you’re sick, there’s some scientific reasoning behind it. Vitamin C helps control infections and heal wounds. It’s a powerful antioxidant that helps neutralize dangerous free radicals. (2)

Your body needs vitamin C to make collagen, the protein in connective tissue that affects your immune system and other body systems, like blood, bone, and cartilage. It also helps make hormones that send chemical messages to your brain.

The fact that vitamin C helps support your immune function is one of the reasons you can fight off viruses naturally. When your immunity works properly your body is prepared to protect you from illnesses.

Does it cure a virus?

Many people will inflate the abilities of vitamin C. You may hear all kinds of claims about how vitamin C can cure a virus, but the truth is that even though it boosts your immune function, it won’t completely cure a nasty viral infection. Some studies show, however, that taking vitamin C will shorten the duration of a virus. That makes it an incredibly beneficial addition to your healthy lifestyle.

You still want to keep your levels up before you get sick. Studies have shown that waiting until you’re ill to get vitamin C may not help your symptoms improve. (3) You want your immunity strong whenever viruses try to invade.

Boosting your vitamin C

When you’re deficient in vitamin C, it can help lead to a poorly functioning immune system. Many people are lacking this vitamin due to different factors, but you can increase your vitamin C levels naturally.

1. Shop the produce section

Eating a nutritious diet doesn’t have to be boring. Some people get turned off when they hear they need to eat better. Immediately, their minds go to salads every day and nothing else.

Getting more vitamin C in your diet can be fun and delicious at the same time. Many foods like citrus fruits, berries, potatoes, and peppers all contain vitamin C. These can be added to your meals and changed up throughout the week to allow for more variety. You can shop the produce section and get lots of vitamin C selections for your diet. (4)

2. Eat your protein

When you want to increase your vitamin C levels, don’t forget to eat your protein. Some people forget how crucial meat can be for a healthy diet. A carnivore diet that consists of meat and eggs can be beneficial to people who struggle with immune issues.

Our bodies cannot produce vitamin C. That means we must get it from other sources. When you consume a pound of meat, you get around 500 grams of Vitamin C. So if you eat only a third of that, you still get lots of vitamin C witn your daily protein intake. (5)

3. Take quality supplements

If you feel you don’t get enough vitamin C from your diet, you’re not alone. So many of us are busier than ever and our diets may fall short. When that happens, you can take a quality supplement to help meet your vitamin needs.

Get a supplement that is bioavailable and has different forms of vitamin C. You can typically find it in 500 and 1000 mg doses. It is best to take more vitamin C during stressful times or when an infection is present to help your immune system.

Other supplements combined with vitamin C

When it comes to your immune function, other crucial supplements can play a significant role in your health. One of the best ways to boost your immune system is to take NAC. You may have noticed many popular stores have taken this off their shelves. The FDA decided it was excluded from a dietary supplement definition since it was once approved as a new drug before being marketed as a supplement. (6)

Yet, studies have shown that NAC helps with respiratory issues. It supports proper lung function and helps stop viral replication. NAC also increases natural killer cells that rid you of viral invaders.

Zinc reduces infections in the body and can decrease the common cold by 33%, which means you get a much shorter duration. It also helps shut down viral replication.

Vitamin D plays a critical role in your immune health. It modulates inflammation in the body, which can affect your immune function. Studies show that if you’re deficient in vitamin D, you’re more likely to get the flu. (7)

The last item on our list is garlic. Reports show that garlic can decrease the symptoms of a cold by 70%. It may also cut down the duration by 63%. (8)

If you want the simplicity of everything you need in one place, you can take the immune defense power packthat contains the core supplements you need to defend against infections and recover faster.

Nutrition and illness

There is no doubt that nutrition plays a crucial role when it comes to staying healthy. Your body needs vitamins and minerals to have a properly functioning immune system. When you don’t eat the foods that help fuel your body, your health will suffer.

Fortunately, you were made to be well. Your body was designed to be naturally healthy and thrive. You don’t have to worry about cold and flu season when you keep your immunity strong. If you do get sick, it likely won’t sideline you for days or weeks because you’ve kept your nutrients and vitamin levels a priority. Your first line of defense against illness is a strong immune system. When you get sufficient nutrients, you have the best chance of being healthy and staying well. It is our pleasure to help you on your wellness journey. If you’d like to get exclusive content, consider becoming a Wellness Warrior to get access to even more health information!

References :

https://www.today.com/health/5-easy-ways-get-more-vitamin-c-boost-your-immunity-t192500

https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/nutritionsource/vitamin-c/

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/winter-illness-guide#:~:text=Colds%2C%20flus%20and%20other%20respiratory,dry%20air%20may%20weaken%20resistance.

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/vitamin-c-for-common-cold#1

https://www.nccih.nih.gov/health/tips/tips-natural-products-for-the-flu-and-colds-what-does-the-science-say

https://www.webmd.com/balance/features/tips-for-getting-vitamin-c

https://www.mayoclinic.org/drugs-supplements-vitamin-c/art-20363932

https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/219352#other-benefits

https://www.doctorkiltz.com/vitamin-c-on-carnivore-diet/

https://www.fda.gov/food/cfsan-constituent-updates/fda-releases-final-guidance-enforcement-discretion-certain-nac-products#:~:text=As%20we%20discussed%20in%20a,supplement%20or%20as%20a%20food.

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7231123/

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/garlic-fights-colds-and-flu

Dr. Nick Zyrowski
Dr. Nick Zyrowski